Flamenco y tapas

I went to the Cardamomo as suggested by most of you. It was really amazing! The flamenco is a Southern Spain art form consisting of 3 parts: el Cante(the song), the Baile (the dance) and the Guitarra (the guitar playing).

It is pretty amazing to watch. To see some of it yourself go here.Flamenco is the national dance of Spain. It was developed by the Gypsies that lived in Spain. Some still do. They run the Rastro.Ok. So I am in Spain.

I want to try tapas. So here is the low down on what they are.Although many people have heard of Tapas, and they're available in most Spanish bars, it's not always apparent where to find them, how to order them, and what to ask for. The reasons for this are many, including the fact that the word Tapas rarely makes an appearance on any menu or billboard, and the fact that many bars and restaurants don't stick to the real tradition of Tapas.In order to work out what Tapas are, it might help to understand where the word Tapas comes from (at least this is the most commonly accepted version). It's actually a Spanish verb (tapar), which means, "to cover". So, a Tapa was a snack (usually free) which was placed on top of a drink "to cover" it from flies, insects, and dust.There are many bars in Madrid that still provide Tapas with a glass of wine or beer, but it's not the normal practice anymore.

Nowadays, when you go out for some Tapas, you are really (more often than not) ordering a plate of food known as a ración. It is usually something that is shared among a few people, or perhaps a canapé, which is something on a small piece of bread. In many bars, you can get sandwiches made with a bread roll or baguette, which are called bocadillos (or bocatas).The good thing about these modern Tapas is that they provide the customer with a wide variety of foods, meaning you can sample many different Spanish delicacies all at the same time. And don't worry too much if you can't understand the menu - it's becoming increasingly common for bars to place out a selection of their wares for the customer to see. That way, you can see exactly what's what, without having to ask for an explanation.

Someone I met at the Ballet suggested one of the best Tapas bars in Madrid, El Txoko (pronounced "choco"). This is an excellent bar-come-restaurant, which serves Basque food (cuisine that is thought to be the equal to haute cuisine). Tapas here include anchovies, baked onions stuffed with goat's cheese and jamon, cod soufflé, and baked apple. Each of these is expertly cooked and delightful on the taste buds. The atmosphere in El Txoko is very friendly, but a little bit on the cramped side. The setting of the bar is lovely, as you can find the entrance to the bar in the basement of a Basque cultural building.This is what I got.Looks kind of gross but was really good and not spicy like Mexican food.

They set the tapas out on the bar like this. So that you could choose from whatever looked good.
Later for supper I went and had some paella. Paella is the national dish of Spain. So far, I have seen the national dance and eaten the national dish. I will admit that I won't eat the national dish again. It was totally gross. Maybe I should stick with finger foods??!! To check out exactly what is in paella go here.Paella is made differently depending on the part of Spain that you are in. So maybe I will have better luck when I travel some more. If I can work up the courage to try again.

Ok. Decision time again... do I want to go snowboarding in the Sierra de Guadarrama or shopping in El Rastro?